Chapter Text
“Okay, so who can tell me –in their own words– what exactly the conclusion was of the Hermit conference held in 1978?” Jimmy asked, hoping to see at least one or two raised hands.
Instead he was met with absolute silence, typical…Don’t get him wrong he loves his students and he loves teaching, but sometimes he just doesn’t have the patience to keep on playing the quiet game over and over again.
“C’mon guys! It’s an easy question that all of you should be able to answer if you’ve read the fourth chapter of the syllabus like I asked you to do?”Jimmy’s eyes narrowed scanning the room for guilty looking faces.
He sighed heavily, placing his cold palm over his overheated forehead. He could already feel the migrain settle in. You’d think he would’ve learned by now, but for someone born with powers, he’s quite quick to forget not using them for a certain period of time will lead to some…negative physical consequences.
“Yes, Sonny!”-
Relief flooded through Jimmy as at least one student raised his hand.
“Can I go to the bathroom…?”Sonny asked innocently and a bit shy.
Jimmy felt like groaning and crying at the same time. A small, less savoury, part of him wanted to tell the 15 year-old to hold his bladder –lunch break literally ended 10 minutes ago–, but that’d just be cruel and Jimmy wasn’t THAT petty.
“Yes, Sonny, you may go to the bathroom”, the teacher tried his best to keep the exasperation from leaking through his tone. However, judging from his students' chuckles he wasn’t doing a good job keeping his annoyance at bay.
He watched silently as a bashful, yet grateful, Sonny quietly made his way out of the classroom. As the door behind the student clicked shut, Jimmy took a large breath, counted to ten and plastered his defining smile back on his face.
“So, I’m gonna assume that either none of you guys have done the homework or you’re all too shy to answer. I personally think it isn’t the latter reason…”, some students’ mask of indifference broke as guilt and slight remorse took over their expressions, “It’s fine, well not really, but it’s fine for once...However I can’t know if you haven’t read the materials if you don’t tell me.”
“Mister Solidarity?”Lucy, one of the more confident and social students in his class, raised her hand.
“Yes, Lucy?”
“I think I speak for everyone when I say we’re really sorry, but we had a test today…and it was a big one, so most of us prioritised it over the homework you gave us. We’re really sorry”, Lucy explained.
“I’ll let it slide for one time, but next time I assign you guys homework, I expect you to do it”, it wasn’t often Jimmy used his stern voice, but now it kind of felt like the right occasion. No matter how much he hated it.
“Well, let’s get started then! Instead of reading, you’ll have to take notes while I summarise the materials”, his words seemed to wake his students from their slumber as they all hurried to take out their notepads and pens.
“In 1978, one of the most important –especially in today’s society– conferences that covered superpowered individuals was held. Does anyone have a guess what might’ve been decided or discussed during the conference?”
“Wasn’t that when being a hero became an official occupation?”
“Yes, exactly. Before the conference there were a lot of super powered individuals who were unregistered, which led to an increase in crime and, consequently, an increase of vigilantism.”
“Wait, but what’s the difference again?”Harold, a boy who lived in the countryside and was homeschooled up till the previous year when his parents moved to the big city, asked shyly. The already shy boy sank further in his seat as almost every student turned to him to gawk at him, not believing he felt the need to ask such an obvious question.
“Great question, Harold! Most think the difference between the two is clear, but sometimes it can get a little tricky”, Jimmy quickly continued, hoping to save Harold from the class’s scrutiny, “Heroes are, essentially, like soldiers in the military…They are selected and employed by the government. While vigilantes on the other hand do not work under the legal system, unlike heroes they aren’t regulated by laws, which can sometimes lead to moral conundrums…”
As a teacher Jimmy had to be unbiased surrounding any topic that concerned ideology and yet –even after being a teacher for 3 years now– he couldn’t help a slightly venomous tone to slip through as he explained the mechanics of being a hero. He chided himself for his immaturity, no wonder most of his colleagues didn’t take him seriously if he couldn’t even control his emotions.
Jimmy clapped his hands, creating a loud noise that somehow managed to startle him. Once again he regained his exposure and readied himself to continue his lesson.
“Now why do you guys think the government held the conference?”
For almost a full minute the class remained silent and Jimmy almost gave up hope before another student, Kate, raised her hand.
“Isn’t it because people with mutations started to get discriminated against due to the fact they couldn’t hide the fact they have abilities…which ended up leading to a lot of social tension and hate crimes…Or at least that’s what my dad claims”, Kate quickly added the last part, hiding using her father as a shield for the slight possibility she might be wrong.
“Well, yes, that's part of the reasoning behind the conference. It is true that people with the mutant gene, much like myself”, Jimmy pointed out as if his large and wide wings were easy to overlook, “were discriminated against, but you’re forgetting a vital part. The conference prior to the one in 1978 -that took place in 1970- allowed super powered humans to legally defend themselves, but that led to a lot of vigilantism. So, the government implemented the possibility of becoming heroes.”
Jimmy felt oddly proud of himself for managing to summarise such a large amount of information before Sonny had even returned from the bathroom.
“Wait, but I thought people without powers could also become heroes, like Hotguy?”Lucy asked in a confused tone.
The mere mention of Hotguy made the classroom erupt in excited chattering. Jimmy couldn’t help but himself from rolling his eyes at the display of obvious hero worship. It isn’t that he thought Hotguy was a bad person or something –he could count on two hands how many heroes he respected and Hotguy was one of them–, but that didn’t mean he understood everyone worshiping the guy.
“Over the years technology was developed to make it possible for people without powers to become a hero, but frankly it’s a difficult and expensive path to follow.”Jimmy continued speaking, this time louder to grab the students' attention again. Call him a bummer all you want, but he felt responsible to discourage his students from considering the hero lifestyle. The enthusiastic chattering about possible hero-names and teams, always made his chest feel irrationally tight.
“Say, mister Solidarity, do you think you could’ve become a hero? You might not have an actual super power, but you are a mutant. I’m pretty sure wings are a strong enough ability on its own.”Kate opted, looking genuinely excited for the answer.
For a moment, the world turned quiet. Jim felt like all air had been punched from his lungs as he took deep, but unsteady, breaths. His migraine somehow worsened fivefold, only this time accompanied with overwhelming nausea.
“No, I don’t think being a hero is a part of my skillset Kate. I am kind of known amongst faculty for my clumsiness.”Jimmy did a poor attempt at a joke, while swallowing the burning bile rising up his throat.
“Now enough hero talk, it’s time to make a timeline for the events leading up to the conference”, Jimmy finally managed to ground himself –his head still aching and bile still burning the wands of his throat– and continue to teach.
He let his eyes wander through the classroom, glancing at his students, the sight of youthful innocence reminding him what he’s doing it all for. The moment didn’t last longer as his eyes landed on a vacant seat.
“Jake, could you perhaps go and check that Sonny hasn’t fallen into the toilet?”Jimmy sighed again. He should really start to count how much he sighed during one class, cause this was just getting ridiculous.
“Of course, sir!”, and with that Jimmy returned to teaching.
A rather muscular, tall man stalked towards him, holding some kind of staff. The man’s grip was so tight, Jimmy expected the wood to splinter. He had blond hair, and a ridiculous mullet -but, hey, to each their own-. The man advanced swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, he stood looming over Jimmy, wooden staff still in hand and a wicked grin plastered on his face.
Jimmy opened his eyes again, pinching the bridge of his nose as he finally felt the temporary relief of his precognition again. It might be a biased opinion, but he can’t help the envy settle deep inside. Why did he have to be born not only with a mutant gene, but also with superpowers? Life could really be unfair sometimes.
He didn’t have it in him to feel worried about his vision; he barely looked 5 minutes into the future, and his visions didn’t have the best track record of being reliable. After all, this could very well be the ten-thousandth time he’d predicted his possible demise.
He started absentmindedly packing up. He might be unlucky in most aspects of his life. However, when it came to his class schedule, he might just be the luckiest teacher at Tumble High. Having almost the whole Friday afternoon off was the kind of blessing he knew he should be grateful for.
Admittedly, his head might’ve been a bit too much up in the clouds, as he barely registered the heavy footsteps storming down the hallway. It was only when the sound came very close to his classroom that Jimmy noticed. Without thinking about it, he took the stapler from his desk and clutched it tightly. Not the worst make-shift weapon, he thought to himself.
And before he knew it, the man from his vision burst into his classroom, only this time his figure was way less obscured. However, the identity of the man wasn’t the first thing Jimmy noticed; no, it was the wooden staff the man was holding. Though staff would be the wrong description, no, the man was holding a broken broom handle. Jimmy couldn’t help the morbid thoughts from invading his mind as he wondered how easily the well-built could impale him with the sharp side of the handle.
“Timmy! You’ve got to hide this!” the man, who Jimmy could now identify as Martyn, whisper-shouted at him as he shoved the broken broom handle into the teacher’s hands. The wicked grin from earlier made a bit more sense as Jimmy couldn’t help but laugh at the frantic smile on his friend’s face.
“This is serious Tim, I didn’t mean to break the damn…I just wanted to show some of the students my awesome martial arts skills”, Martyn explained, still a bit out of breath.
The fondness Jimmy felt for his friend loosened the tight, anxiety-fueled grip around his heart. A genuine smile replaced the frown and his already lessening migraine suddenly didn’t as worse as it did earlier.
“I do hope you haven’t injured any of the students, I quite like my job.”
“C’mon now, you know I’d never! The nerve of you to doubt my capabilities”, Martyn pretended to clutch his chest, as if Jimmy’s quip had physically struck him in the chest.
“Wouldn’t be the first, might I remind you of the party you threw after finishing your final thesis.”
“Ah good times, good times. Where has our youth gone?”
“Calm down Martyn, you’re only 30.”
“That’s right, compared to me you’re just a baby”, Martyn continued to joke as he pinched Jimmy’s cheeks before he could push his hands away.
“You’re only 4 years older, that’s an almost inconsequential difference.”
“Uhm, I don’t know Timmy. I’ve experienced quite a lot during those 4 years Tim, you younglings couldn’t possibly comprehend what us oldies used to go through”, for a beat the pair remained quiet, staring into each other’s eyes so intensely one might think they were trying to establish a telepathic bond.
The silence didn’t last long, seconds later the two blonds broke down in fits of laughter. Void knows how much Jimmy had needed this, a moment of levity with one of his dear friends after such an anxiety inducing week. He doesn’t know why or how exactly it works, but to him laughter truly is the best medicine.
If he can laugh at the situation, at his insecurities and shortcomings, then they didn’t feel so serious and they became way easier to ignore. It might not fully cure or make his anxiety go away, but y’know what they say, even the little bits make a big difference.
“Okay, okay, all jokes aside, it’s good to see you again man”, Jimmy pulled his friend in a short, but warm, embrace once he felt like he wouldn’t dissolve into uncountable giggles the second he and Martyn would lock eyes.
“It’s been too long, you should really come with me to Hermit city one time”, Martyn said, sharing the sentiment.
“Nah, you know I’m not the biggest fan of the capital. Besides, I’m like way too busy right now, with finals coming up and all”, Martyn’s expression perfectly conveyed he didn’t buy into any of Jimmy’s crap.
“Don’t be such a bore, Tim, and didn’t winter break just end?”
“Uh…”
“See, you don’t have any excuse to not come with me to Hermit for a weekend or so!”Martyn wasn’t going to give up, but then again neither was Jimmy. It wasn’t the first, and certainly wouldn’t be the last, time Jimmy and Martyn were engulfed in a battle of stubbornness.
The thing is Jimmy had a reason to never want to set foot in Hermit again, he just couldn’t tell Martyn about it. His anxiety returned, hitting him like a freight train, as all-consuming guilt swallowed him whole. His eyes wandered to the classroom door, and before he truly realised what he was doing, he had formulated a perfect escape plan.
Martyn must’ve noticed his sudden jitteriness, as he dropped his arms to his side and shot Jimmy a concerned glance.
“Okay fine, you win, but one day the two of us –and maybe some other friends– are going on a road trip!”Martyn declared, somehow sounding like he’d been victorious.
“It’s a deal…”, Jimmy smiled weakly at his friends, before refocusing his attention on packing his bag.